Averrhoa Carambola (Starfruit) Live Plant

Starfruit, also known as carambola, is an exotic fruit tree known for its crisp, juicy fruits that form star-shaped pieces when sliced. Starfruits are common to Asia, Central and South America, but unfortunately they may be hard to find in U.S. grocery stores. But you can grow your own if you live in a warmer part of the U.S. Starfruit is rich in vitamins A, C phosphorus and potassium. The fruit has a crunchy texture with a sweet, tart taste that has been described as a cross between citrus, green grape and pear.

Starfruit trees grow quickly and can produce abundant harvests. They are self-fertile, however, like any fruit tree, they will do better when given partners to cross pollinate. Starfruit is best off grown as a container plant. Carambola trees are hardy in zones 11-12, but mature trees can be grown in zones 9 and above. We are aware of starfruit trees here in zone 9 that thrive in the ground year-round. They will definitely need to be kept as a container plants for the first few years. Mature starfruit trees can tolerate brief frosts down as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. But they may die back in those coldest of moments.  By having the plants in a large container, such as a 20-gallon pot, you have the freedom to bring the trees indoors or into a greenhouse during the coldest nights, and you do not need to deal with any type of die-back. You need not keep them inside all winter. But containers give you the freedom to protect them during the coldest nights.

Starfruit are heavy drinkers and  like to be watered heavily. They can tolerate flooding for a few days. But they cannot tolerate drought at all. Plants in containers may have some yellowing, especially in the lower leaves, if the plants get dry even for a day or two. If you notice some yellow leaves, this doesnt mean the plant is unhealthy. They can drop lower leaves from transplanting or breif periods of dry soil, but they grow out pretty easily. These plants like full sun, but they must be acclimated. They can sunburn and drop leaves if they go into more sunlight than they are used to. So proper acclimation is essential.  They will do best in as much light as you can give them as long as they’re acclimated to tolerate that amount of light. Provide plenty of room for roots by using a large container. You can use wicking tubs to keep container plants in, but allow the tubs to be emptied every few days so the plants are not in standing water. During the hottest months, when the plants are drinking the most, they should be able to handle sitting in an inch or two of water all the time as long as the water is clean.